Construction Grade Gingerbread

This not for making gingerbread boys or cookies for eating. It has no leavening or eggs and very little fat in order to yield a dense, tough, long-lasting cookie.

1/2 cup margarine or butter (4 ounces or 1 stick)

1 cup white sugar (7 ounces)

1/2 cup molasses (6 ounces)

1/2 cup light corn syrup (6 ounces)

4+ teaspoons ginger (the more you add, the better the smell and taste)

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2+ cup water

6+ cups flour (27 ounces)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the molasses and light corn syrup. Mix in the salt, ginger, and cinnamon. Add the flour and water slowly, alternating between them. Knead the dough, adding more flour or water as necessary. The dough is stiff enough for rolling at room temperature, but chill it if you prefer. Bake at 300-350 degrees on parchment or a lightly greased baking sheet.

The baking times are highly dependent on the thickness of the cookie!!

Make certain you bake the cookies until they’re rock hard.

If the gingerbread darkens too much, reduce the oven temperature. I often bake large or thick gingerbread pieces twice, first at 350, then again in a 250-300 degree oven to toughen them further without additional browning.

You want absolutely rigid, hard gingerbread pieces because they will support the house, it’s icing and candies!

You know how those pre-baked house kit cookies resemble plywood?

That’s the ticket!

Gingerbread plywood.